NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday reiterated its call for safe and unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the free flow of commerce through the strategic waterway is vital to the economic and energy security of countries worldwide.

Addressing a weekly media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that New Delhi is closely monitoring developments in West Asia, while continuing to advocate de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace and stability in the region.

"We are closely following the developments in West Asia. We continue to call for safe and unimpeded navigation and the flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. This is key for ensuring the economic and energy security of people across the world. We issued a statement after summoning the Deputy Chief of Mission of Iran. We conveyed to them our deepest concerns and that we strongly condemned what has happened. We lost a precious Indian life, and several Indian nationals have been injured, a couple of them seriously injured,” Jaiswal stated.

An Indian sailor was killed, and several others were injured after a strike by Iran on United Arab Emirates (UAE) merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Following this, the MEA had summoned Iranian diplomats, including Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Mohammad Javad Hosseini, to lodge a strong protest.

“We conveyed our strongest protest to the Iranian side on this matter, stating that these attacks must stop at the earliest. At the same time, there should be de-escalation, and the two sides should come to the negotiating table and take the path of dialogue and diplomacy so that peace and stability can be ensured in West Asia,” Jaiswal said.

UAE tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah were hit by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the press briefing, Jaiswal further said the two merchant ships attacked overnight had a combined crew of 30 Indian seafarers. He confirmed that one Indian lost his life in one of the attacks, while nine others were seriously injured in the other, including two in critical condition.

“I do not have the complete details you are asking for at the moment, but I can say that the two ships that were attacked last night, or this morning, depending on the timing, had a total of 30 Indian seafarers on board. On one ship, which had 12 people on board, one Indian seafarer lost his life. On the other ship, which had 18 Indian seafarers on board, nine sustained serious injuries, of whom two are in critical condition. This is the information relating to the attack that took place last night, or this morning,” the MEA spokesperson stated.

Jaiswal noted that Indian seafarers have suffered the most in attacks on commercial shipping since the conflict began in the region.

“Apart from this, there have been several other fatalities involving our (Indian) nationals. I can also say that, among all nationalities, Indian seafarers have suffered the highest number of deaths in attacks on commercial shipping,” he mentioned.